


Marco/Polo

by Harukami



Category: DRAMAtical Murder
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-04
Updated: 2014-04-04
Packaged: 2018-01-18 02:37:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1411855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Harukami/pseuds/Harukami
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If Virus is a call, Trip's just an answer; if Virus has somewhere to be, Trip's just trying to triangulate to it. But Virus isn't a call, and he's got nowhere to be.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Marco/Polo

The first time their eyes met Virus mostly felt a sense of revulsion. They had the same eyes, of course, because everyone there had the same eyes. There was nothing special about it; it was just a fact of the reality they were living in, that they would have their eyes surgically altered to be the same, to resist the powers that Toue was developing.

(He wondered, sometimes, if it was really a good idea on Toue's part; yes, this meant they could be the safety for dealing with the powers Toue made, but then, what was the safety for dealing with _them_? He was sure that Toue assumed physical force would be enough, since they had no powers of their own, but he wondered if that were the case. There were a lot of things that could be done against physical force if you had no limits, and they, as far as he'd been able to determine, did not.)

Still, their eyes were the same, and there was a look of recognition on the other boy's face. Virus wanted nothing to do with that expression. It might be more convenient to be recognized than the alternative -- this boy was, at that point, known well enough for recognizing nothing as a fellow human being and rearranging the features of the other boys and girls here into whatever shape he must see them as, with fists and knees and worse -- but it had no appeal, either. 

"What?" he asked.

The other boy didn't answer, and after a few moments, when he didn't try to make a move on Virus one way or another, Virus turned to leave.

The boy followed.

He thought about doing something about it; there were places Virus could lead him that would give him the advantage, but that seemed like a nuisance. Besides, if he could tame this one, he'd have something he could use, when dealing with the others, that could make _him_ seem like the better option.

That's how he thought about it, when they first met.

*

Sometimes, he'd wake up to the smell of Trip's breath and find Trip leaning over him in the night, fingers on his face. The first time that happened, he almost took the glass shard he kept under his pillow and drove it into Trip's neck. He realized who it was before the glass hit skin, which was just as well, because Trip's thumbs begin to dig into his throat.

"Hey Virus," Trip said, easily. "It's just me."

"Don't wake me up suddenly," Virus said, with a sigh. "You idiot."

"Whatever. I was bored."

Virus had learned, over the previous few months, that 'bored' for Trip meant that he'd already exhausted the possibilities of his current roommates. Or, perhaps, they'd stopped trying to room others with him; it had to happen sooner or later.

"Am I your boredom's cure?"

"Yeah. You're my cure," Trip said, and lay down beside him. "Go back to sleep."

"With you watching?"

"Yeah."

He wouldn't say he couldn't sleep with Trip watching; it was untrue, but more to the point, there was no good in making himself out to be prey with someone like Trip. He'd respect the predator who could rule him instead. Virus said, "I can't see in what way that would ever be appealing."

"You don't like it?"

"Your breath's bad."

"Isn't."

"When did you last brush your teeth?"

"Haven't."

Virus let out a sigh. "That isn't what I asked," he said primly, and got out of bed, tugging Trip with him.

"Stop."

"If you want to stay with me, you'll make yourself appealing enough to be permitted."

"Ehhh..."

But when they reached the bathroom, Trip opened his mouth, like a bored lion showing its fangs in a yawn, and let Virus brush his teeth. Virus watched Trip's eyes glitter from beneath his half-closed lids, reached down, and put Trip's hand on the toothbrush. "Do it yourself," he said.

"Ffff--"

He'd gotten Trip started, so Trip had to finish or swallow the toothpaste or go about with it foaming from his mouth. Whatever he chose would be entertaining, so it was fine.

Trip spat on the floor, then said, "Have _you_ brushed your teeth?"

"Yes. I brush my teeth properly, Trip."

"Brush your teeth with me, Virus."

He could turn him down; instead, as if in reward, he patted Virus's head. "All right," he said, and brushed his teeth again.

*

"You liked him," Trip guessed.

"Who did I like?" Virus asked, tugging the keys out of their door. 

"The guy today. You know. The blue one."

"Oh, him. He was interesting, wasn't he?"

"Yeah, interesting."

After Trip had started to dye and style his hair to match Virus's, Virus had become curious about how far he'd go. He began dressing more and more outlandishly, to see if Trip would copy him, which he did. Trip's version of copying was like a child's accuracy in painting; he overdid it by far. But it was obvious what he'd wanted. The outfits were ugly, but the game wasn't quite tiring yet, so Virus thought he'd see what he could pick up later, what Trip would counter it with. For now, he pulled off his hoodie, dropping it on a peg by the door.

"Are you interested in him?" Virus asked.

"He was interesting. Yeah."

"Do you like him?"

"Nah," Trip said. 

"Well," Virus said, "we can't ask for a miracle."

"Yeah," Trip said. "I don't like anybody."

Virus let out a sigh. "That's rude, Trip."

"Sorry."

"It's all right. I don't actually mind."

"I'm not actually sorry."

They went about their business in silence for a little while, Virus putting on a pot of coffee of a blend that he enjoyed and Trip didn't but would drink anyway.

"I'm _like_ you, though," Trip said. "So that's close enough."

"Is it?"

"Yeah."

"Hm," Virus said. He took out two mugs.

"That boy today, he looked like a doll."

"Did he?"

"Yeah," Trip said. "It's almost like a human, but not really."

"Close enough," Virus said.

*

That night, he woke up to Trip leaning over him. Trip's breath was fine, but his face was too close, and his body was pressed tight, making Virus uncomfortably warm.

" _Must_ you?" Virus said.

"Let me inside you," Trip said. "C'mon, Virus. I want to climb inside you."

Virus sighed. "Yes, yes," he said, and patted Trip's head, relaxing under him.


End file.
